This Night
by earthlyXangel
Summary: Stricken with nightmares of the time when his father controlled him, Shiki is in need of comfort. Comfort that Rima is more than willing to provide. Shima. Bday present for Janie-chan/paper parasols.


A/N: Happy Birthday!!! This is a birthday present for Janie-chan, or as some of you may better know her by, paper parasols! ^.^ I'm sorry this is so belated! I haven't had much time for anything lately, and so I never had a chance to write you anything. *cries*

But, I finally did get around to it! I know it's not very good. I didn't ask anyone to beta it, and I didn't even get to really edit it myself because I wanted to have something up for you sooner rather than later, and didn't want to make you wait! So hopefully you won't mind the lack of quality and possible OOCness. Maybe I'll add more chapters to make up for it.

Disclaimer: I do not own VK. No, really, I don't. Though someday if Matsuri Hino decides to give it to me, I will be in heaven.

--o--[Start]--o--

The Night Dorm was eerily silent. Touya Rima lay face up in bed, arm flung haphazard across her brow, staring up at the ceiling and wishing the seconds would stop passing at such a terribly slow speed. She could feel that she was tired, that she _should_ be sleeping, but there was a restlessness growing within her and she simply couldn't relax enough to slip into unconsciousness.

That was when she heard it.

The sound was so small, the tiniest of barely uttered noises, that it was nearly impossible to hear. Yet, the noise fell on her ears immediately, as if it had been a scream ripped from a throat in terror.

Because, such a small sound had the same equivalent.

Her feet had propelled her out of her room and down the hall before another beat had passed. She paused before a tall wooden door, and with a second motion, was opening it slowly, gaze falling upon the figure curled in the center of the bed.

She closed the door behind her with a quiet click and moved to stand by the bed, looking down at the figure with an agonized expression.

"Shiki…," she whispered, heart constricting as she felt his pain.

Her eyes flicked momentarily to the door, and then she was climbing onto the bed, lying down beside him. She reached out with a pale hand, touching his cheek softly. His eyes opened slowly, heavily, at her touch, pools of deep sapphire in the starlight, filled with horror. They struggled to focus on her for a long moment, and then squeezed shut again, attempting to blot out the remembrance of terrible dreams.

She didn't need any further encouragement. Her arms slid around him, drawing him close. She could feel him trembling as he clung to her, eyes shut tightly and face pressed against the side of her neck. The sound came again, a nearly inaudible whimper torn from him against his will, and he shook harder, chest heaving with a silent, dry sob that he would never utter.

She understood, without him having to say. She knew that the nightmares still haunted him, from that time when his father had possessed his mind against his will. She knew he was still wracked with guilt. She knew. And the only thing she wanted to do was erase it from his memory.

Instead, she just held him. She hated the feeling of helplessness she had, unable to do anything more. All she could do was bring him closer, stroking his hair, leaning her cheek against his. He wasn't shaking as much now, his breathing easing into a steadier rhythm, and she drew comfort from that.

"Hey, Rima…" his voice came after a moment, a barely audible murmur, scarcely more than a breath against her skin.

"Hmm?" she asked, letting her fingers trace down his spine lazily.

He shivered a little, arms tightening around her fractionally, and then whispered, "Stay."

"Yeah…" she agreed, weariness beginning to tug at the edges of her mind.

Yawning, she dislodged him long enough to sit up and pull the blankets over them. It didn't occur to her that what she was doing was definitely _not allowed_, and it obviously didn't occur to him, either, as he snuggled back into her arms as soon as she lay back down.

Her restlessness was gone, though. She was warm and considerably happier with Shiki so near to her. Within moments, she had drifted off into peaceful slumber.

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"Touya Rima, Shiki Senri, get up _this instant_!!!" a high pitched, highly enraged voice slashed through the air.

Rima mumbled an unintelligible sound, pressing closer against Shiki, her mind still fogged with sleep. She heard him make a soft sound of contentment and felt his arms twine further around her. Then, her consciousness began receding back to darkness.

"Do you hear me?! This is _highly inappropriate_ and I _will not_ tolerate it!!! Wake up _NOW_!!!" the voice repeated, dragging her sharply from the blackness, discordant as nails against a chalkboard.

Irritation flooded through her. Couldn't the voice shut up? Disgruntled, she threw a pillow over her head and placed a hand over Shiki's ear, attempting to drown it out. She only wanted to sleep. What was the problem with that?

"If you don't get up _this instant_, I'm calling your parents! I'm warning you!!! Not only will you be severely punished, but most likely promptly _married_! Do you want that?!?!"

"Hey…Shiki…," she muttered.

"Hmm?" he responded drowsily.

"Get me a nice ring, okay?"

"Okay…"

The voice made a strangled sound and became coaxing, "I'll give you both pocky if you get up right now."

Pocky. That was tempting. But…

"Sorry," Rima murmured, "but I love Shiki more than pocky."

--o--[End]--o--

A/N: Sorry. I know I changed around the serious moment yet again into something entirely _UN_serious. I can't help myself when it's Shima. But you won't have to worry about that soon, because I'm working on coming out with some VK Fairy Tales! Yay for epic randomness! Oh, and press the review button before Kaname eats you! O.o


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